Add Manual Columns to the Canvas Gradebook

Last updated on February 9, 2024

Assignments, discussions, quizzes and a few other activities can be set to automatically populate the Canvas gradebook; however, you will need to add graded in-class work to the gradebook.

You can add these items to the gradebook by creating additional columns. The only way to manually create a column in the Canvas gradebook is to create a “No Submission” assignment.

We have received feedback about how to prevent students from seeing the “No Submission” assignment except in the gradebook. In order to prevent any assignment confusion, you can take the following steps:

1. Do not enable the Assignments menu student view (it is disabled by default).
2. Do not add a due date to the no-submission assignment.
3. Do not add the no-submission assignment to a module.

Directions

1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
3. Log in to your Canvas Account.
4. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
5. Click Assignments in the left-hand course navigation menu.
6. Click + Assignment in the top right-hand corner of the page.
7. Enter a Name for the assignment.
8. Enter a Description of the assignment in the large text box below the name.
   • Since this assignment is only being created to add a column in the gradebook, it is recommended you simply add a sentence explaining what in-class activity or assignment it corresponds to; e.g. “This no-submission assignment is for the in-class quiz on [date]”.
9. Enter the Point Value for the assignment.
   • Optional – Adjust the Assignment Group and Display Grades As settings below the point value box.
10. Click the drop-down menu to the right of Submission Type.
11. Click No Submission from the drop-down menu.
    • It is not recommended that you change any other settings in the assignment, but in particular, avoid adding a due date. Adding one will populate the assignment on the student’s to-do lists, which could be confusing.
12. Click Save and Publish in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
    • The assignment will now appear in the gradebook and you can enter grades.